Our Team

Founding Team

Tanuj Jhunjhunwala

CEO

Tanuj Jhunjhunwala

CEO

Tanuj Jhunjhunwala is the Chief Executive Officer & heads business development, marketing and fund raising at Planys. He is a 2014-batch alumnus from IIT Madras with Btech in Mechanical Engineering and Masters in Product Design. His Master’s research on “Underwater Remote Operated Vehicle for Structural Health Monitoring of Submerged pipelines” was awarded the ‘Bhagya Lakshmi and Krishna Iyenger Award’ (Best Masters’ thesis) along with ‘JC Bose Patent award’ at IITM Convocation 2014. More recently, Tanuj was featured on the highly acclaimed ‘Forbes 30 under 30 2021 Asia List’ under the category ‘Industry, Manufacturing & Energy’.

Here is his story in his own words:
“Robotics has fascinated me since childhood, my time at my university enabled me to explore the realm of robotics. I built robots for fun and gradually found my calling of developing indigenous, cost efficient and cutting-edge robotic solutions for the tech-starved Indian industry. Apart from being a practical nerd at college, I enjoy backpacking and hiking, running half marathons, a cricket fanatic and a numismatist.
Post-graduation, I worked for an Indian automotive giant, but the monotony & lack of innovation made me quit in 4 months. In 2015, I co-founded Planys, a tech Startup pioneering in the field of Marine Robotics and advanced underwater structural health monitoring testing. The impact we have already created in a very traditional market is superlative and we have barely scratched the surface!

I am very proud of the young energetic dynamic team of experts we have put together who are bringing Indian robotic prowess to the forefront. Planys stands tall as an inspiring story of determination, grit & unwavering resilience for the world to see! In the forthcoming years, we wish to continue leading the paradigm shift in the underwater industry on a global level.”

Vineet Upadhyay

CTO

Vineet Upadhyay

CTO

Vineet is the Chief Technology Officer currently leading the product development, technology management, implementation, scale-up and R&D at Planys Technologies. He is a Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai. Before co-founding Planys, he served as a research associate at the Dept. of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras where he developed the control system of an indigenously developed underwater glider. While pursuing engineering he was the founding team leader of IIT Madras' Student Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) team which went on to represent India at the International RoboSub Competition, San Diego, USA after winning the national championship in the year 2014.

Here is his story, in his own words:
“I co-founded Planys to develop technology that can help in realisation of potential held by the Oceans. I envision Planys’ technology down the line would be a world-leading enabler of human sustainability and economy using Oceans as a medium. Today, our venture is the initial few steps into its great journey ahead.

I realise entrepreneurship was ingrained into me during my upbringing as I grew-up watching my father bring a swimming-sport revolution in my ancestral village, nurturing local kids as national swimmers. Being a passionate hobby swimmer with fond love for computers, robots, and science, I chose to study Ocean Engineering. I continued honing my robotics and team-work skills, led teams across national and international robotics competitions, which fuelled my motivation.

With a strong belief that oceans are yet to be explored for their full potential, I incessantly explored business opportunities in this domain, and started with maritime inspections using submersible robots. Our technology today contributes to ensuring Dams do not collapse, bridges remain safe, large ships transport cargo timely, Oil & Gas industry functions safely and divers don’t risk their lives anymore.

It has been a challenging but satisfying journey of developing products indigenously, being the first OEM in India and leading my organization in an uncharted space. I cherish the success and appreciation of our indigenous technology in advanced countries of Europe, which bolsters our confidence. I take pride in leading one of the best technology teams in my country which keeps pushing the frontiers as the clock ticks!”

Rakesh Sirikonda

General Manager - Special Projects & IT

Rakesh Sirikonda

General Manager - Special Projects & IT

Rakesh Sirikonda is a 2014-batch alumnus from IIT Madras with a Dual Degree in Chemical Engineering. Mr. Rakesh currently serves as the Engineering Lead at Planys Technologies. As an engineering student at IIT Madras, Mr. Rakesh was involved in various technical projects and competitions in the field of robotics.

Dr. Prabhu Rajgopal

Advisor & NDT Expert

Dr. Prabhu Planys Technologies team member

Dr. Prabhu Rajgopal

Advisor & NDT Expert

Prabhu Rajagopal is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and an Associate of the Centre for Nondestructive Evaluation at IIT Madras (IITM).

After graduating from IIT Madras in 2003 with a Dual Degree master’s in mechanical engineering with a specialization in Intelligent Manufacturing, he obtained his Ph.D. in Ultrasonic NDE from Imperial College London, UK in 2007. His areas of interest include strategies for inspection of structures under challenging conditions, and high-resolution ultrasonic imaging using structured and topographic metamaterials. He is a co-founding Director of the underwater and submersible robotics Startup Planys Technologies Pvt. Ltd which licenses his IP filing on automated submerged pipeline inspections. His work has been recognized by the Indian Society for NDT through the National Young Scientist Award and the Institution of Engineers (India).

He has won several prestigious awards such as ‘ISSS Young Scientist Award’, co-recipient for ‘DRDO Academy Excellence Award’ & the ‘Gandhian Technology Innovation Award’.

Dr. Krishnan Balasubramaniam

Advisor, Technology & Inspection

Dr. Krishnan Balasubramaniam

Advisor, Technology & Inspection

Krishnan Balasubramaniam is currently Chair Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and also serves as the Head of the Centre for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) at IIT Madras. His research focus is in the field of Nondestructive Evaluation. He obtained his PhD from Drexel University (USA) in 1989. He has over 200 technical publications and has presented papers at several national and international meetings. Professionally he served as a consultant to many multinational companies including GE, Corning Inc., BF Goodrich, Gillette, Caterpillar, Lockheed-Martin, Nippon TV, Karta Technologies, Sieger Spintech, etc. He is currently a consultant to US Air Force, HAL, Indian Navy, ARDE, GE, etc. He is currently the Principal Investigator in several sponsored research projects funded by DST, DAE, ADA, ISRO and DRDO organizations. He has been conferred upon several awards like ‘Roy Sharpe Prize’, ‘ISTEM Entrepreneurial Faculty Member Award’ and was the lead recipient for ‘DRDO Academy Excellence Award’.

Core Team

Antony Jacob Ashish

Lead - Products & Research

Antony Jacob Ashish

Lead - Products & Research

Antony Jacob Ashish leads the Acoustics and Non-destructive Evaluation Division of Planys Technologies. He graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras with an M. S. degree specialising in the field ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) with applications in the fields of maintenance, quality assurance and design to which he has contributed numerous publications and patents. His currents interests are towards customizing and developing NDE techniques for remotely operated robotic platforms. His previous work experience includes working as a project scientist at the Centre for Nondestructive Evaluation, IIT Madras and as a mechanical engineer in the maintenance division with MRF Tyres, Pondicherry.

Abhijeet Sangani

General Manager, International Business Development & Strategy

Abhijeet Sangani

General Manager, International Business Development & Strategy

Abhijeet Sangani is a 2013 batch alumnus from SCMLD Pune with an MBA in Marketing, has an experience of 8+ years in Financial modelling, Business Strategy and Planning. Started off his career with State Street Global Advisors – one of the leading Investment Bankers as an analyst where he handled roles like Global trade settlements, NAV valuations and Performance Measurement of Hedge Funds. Post that he joined the leading Real Estate players both regional and international, where he handled roles like Revenue Enhancement, Identifying alternate revenue channels and Planning. Currently he is responsible for heading the international business expansion and strategy with Planys Technologies.

Paremvir Malik

Lead - Human Resource

Paremvir Malik

Lead - Human Resource

Paremvir is an almuni of Symbiosis Law College, Pune with Masters in Labour Laws & Labour Welfare (2003). He holds PGDM in Human Resource Development & Personnel Management from Indian Institute of Modern Management, Pune (2002). Paremvir graduated with Hons in Defence & Strategic Studies from Bhonsala Military College, Nasik (2000). Paremvir is also certified by Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow on Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability. He is also certified by Legal Resource Network, USA on Corporate Ethics and FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, USA). Paremvir brings on board more than a decade & half years of varied industry experience as BU & Country HR Lead with Indian & European MNCs of repute. Paremivr is also associated with Atal Innovation Mission the flagship Innovation Programme by NITI Aayog, Govt of INDIA as Mentor of Change and has been consitently recognized as Top Exemplary Mentor of Change for his contributions & efforts to the Mission. HRIS, Mentoring & Coaching and Industrial Relations are his strong forte. Paremvir leads the Human Resource function at Planys Technologies with special focus on continual Human Captial Develpment through L&D, HRIS, Systems & OD Interventions.

Santhosh Ravichandran

Lead - Engineering

Santhosh Ravichandran

Lead - Engineering

Santhosh joined Planys Technologies Pvt. Ltd. in Aug 2017 and now serves as the Design Lead (Mechanical). He did his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from St. Joseph’s college of Engineering, Anna University, Chennai and Master of Science (by research) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. His masters research at IIT Madras was focused on bio-inspired underwater robotics. More specifically, his research was directed towards efficient propulsion mechanisms and dynamics of bio-inspired underwater robots. His research work led to an international patent filing (PCT route), one article in the Ocean Engineering Journal, two peer reviewed conference articles, awards at research-based competitions and many other technical conference publications and presentations.

Sreeram Arunan

Lead - Mechanical Engineering

Sreeram Arunan

Lead - Mechanical Engineering

Sreeram holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from SASTRA University. During his academic times, he was actively involved in Society Of Automotive Engineers collegiate clubs and events. This further enriched his passion for building machines from scratch. His passion for mechanical engineering is never ending which led him to join Planys Technologies. He has a consolidated experience of 5+ years in the marine robotics domain.

Surya M

Lead - Manufacturing

Surya M

Lead - Manufacturing

Suriya M is an experienced Manufacturing Engineer, Leading the Manufacturing Team at Planys Technologies. As a Manufacturing Lead, he is a passionate and forward-thinking individual with over 5+ years of experience. He never compromises on quality and always makes things happen. Suriya is an expert at coordinating the work of team members to maximise production and delivery results. He has a positive can-do mentality by achieving various critical project manufacturing tasks. Suriya is a Post Graduate Manufacturing Engineer from Alagappa Chettiyar College of engineering, Karaikudi. He has been awarded Gold Medal and Distinction for his graduation and post-graduation respectively. During Graduation, he was involved in various Mechanical Tech Projects as a coordinator. Outside wors, He loves to travel with his family and Spend active time in continuous learning, trying new ways of doing things and exploring alternative methods.

Sakshi Inani

Lead - Finance & Purchase

Sakshi Inani

Lead - Finance & Purchase

Sakshi Inani is a Chartered Accountant and currently leads the Finance Department at Planys Technologies. She holds an experience of 13+ years of working in the field of finance. She completed her articleship from Uniwill Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and went on to become the Senior Manager in the company. Over a span of 7 years in the company she has been a part of getting sanctions for more than 150 proposals ranging from INR 20.00 lac to INR 500.00 Crore inclusive of consortiums. She has a prowess in budgeting and forecasting. Her support plays a major role in keeping the financial records of Planys impeccable.

Subhra Sankha Sarkar

Lead - Software Engineering

Subhra Sankha Sarkar

Lead - Software Engineering

Subhra joined Planys Technologies in Feb, 2021 as a Software Lead. In this role he is responsible for delivering critical software-based infrastructure for communicating with and controlling the ROVs. He is also spearheading the data analytics platform that Planys has pioneered in this niche domain. Subhra is a seasoned industry veteran bringing in a wide swathe experience from different industry verticals including satellite broadcasting, consumer electronics and telecommunications. Prior to joining Planys, Subhra served senior engineering roles with Dish Network (USA) and EchoStar Corporation. He holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from Clemson University, SC, USA and Bachelor of Technology from National Institute of Technology (NIT), Bhopal, India. He is passionate about technology, is an avid open-source enthusiast and a contributor in his spare time. He is into endurance sports and is an Ironman 70.3 Miami finisher.

Vasanta Raghavan

Lead - Field Services

Vasanta Raghavan

Lead - Field Services

Vishal Devadas

General Manager – Business Development (India)

Vishal Devadas

General Manager – Business Development (India)

Vishal is a 2016 batch alumnus of University of Canterbury, New Zealand with a dual MBA in Operations Management and Project Management. He also holds a B-Tech degree in Electronics and Communications from Kannur University, Kerala (2011). He has always been passionate about robotics and has participated in various competitions related to robotics such as Robosapiens. Post his graduation, Vishal started off his career as software developer for Tata Consultancy Services for a brief period. His interest in electronics and automation made him switch from the IT industry to Maritime industry, where he worked for a good 4 years with a shipping company having a fleet of 5 vessels out of which 2 were Class 2 and Class 4 DP (Dynamic Positioning) Vessels. Vishal was introduced to Planys in 2017 through some of Planys’ mentors. He has handled numerous projects all around the country in various industry sectors such as Infrastructure (Dams and Bridges), Oil and Gas (Offshore and Onshore), Maritime (Ports and Shipping), Process Industries etc. and currently heads the Business Development - India team at Planys Technologies

Vishal Mittal

Lead - Field Services

Vishal Mittal

Lead - Field Services

Vishal Leads the Operations team at Planys & delivers complex projects with much ease and precision. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and completed ROV pilot training course from Oceaneering, International, Indonesia. He has a cumulative experience of 10 years in the underwater inspection domain and has been associated with Planys since 2018.

Our Team

Founding Team

Tanuj Jhunjhunwala

Vineet Upadhyay

Rakesh Sirikonda

Dr. Prabhu Rajgopal

Dr. Krishnan Balasubramaniam

Core Team

Antony Jacob Ashish

Abhijeet Sangani

Paremvir Malik

Santhosh Ravichandran

Sreeram Arunan

Surya M

Sakshi Inani

Subhra Sankha Sarkar

Vasanta Raghavan

Vishal Devadas

Vishal Mittal

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